29.
* * *
Time flew by swiftly, and before Laiya realized it, three weeks had zipped past.
Quang!
“Do you think this is the time to look away?”
During this time, my training was intense, feeling more like practical combat than traditional instruction. Ah
Her teacher had a preference for a hands-on approach, teaching everything through real practice and mock battles that felt as authentic as it could get.
Basic training involved getting to grips with magic and its fundamental principles.
Laiya’s teacher tossed her a white wand and gave her a rundown of the magic basics.
After that, it was time for some real battles.
“Ice!”
Taking advantage of the collision, Laiya called out.
[The Guardian senses danger to his master! Acquiring access to consciousness.]
[The Guardian explored the world of his master’s consciousness! Consciousness acquired. Process complete!]
A green curtain of magic materialized in front of the little girl.
It’s an Ice shield, meant to protect me while I cast spells. So cool!
Unfolding the shield was no walk in the park.
“It’s quite something to call this training, Master!”
Laiya didn’t want to give up now, not when she’d just successfully had an ice shield.
“Hmm, do you have some free time now? Talking back to your heavenly teacher when your mind should be focused on the battle.”
As he spoke calmly, a small bookshelf materialized in front of Laiya.
It was nearly empty, with just a few books filling in one of the compartments.
[The following list is available as the owner explores the world of consciousness with the Guardian!]
[1. “Golden Ax and Silver Axe”]
[2. “Cinderella”]
[3. “Alice in Wonderland”]
The little girl reached out and selected one of the books, causing the bookshelf to vanish, and the chosen book opened.
The book Laiya selected was called “Golden Ax and Silver Axe,” a very familiar storybook.
Clearing her throat, she watched as a dog-shaped monster in the book let out a howl. “Whoa, this is nerve-wracking.”
…My future self had effectively used children’s books and storytelling to perform magic. However, I am far from achieving that level.
Ice, her assistant guardian, explored her consciousness and determined what she could currently do.
Her current skills involved using magic through these books.
Of course, it wasn’t easy from the start.
“No, how does dropping an ax have anything to do with using magic?”
“How would I know that? You’re the only one who can answer that.”
“Ah! Please dial down the difficulty level! It’s so tough!”
Laiya had a teacher who summoned monsters first and then told her to fight them.
Unfortunately for her, her teacher would show her the methods he used to create magic but struggled to teach her how to use magic due to our communication difficulties.
I have to figure out everything on my own!
“Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a very skilled woodcutter in a village.”
As she naturally recited, the back of a rather large man came into view, encased in his hand was a massive ax.
“The skilled woodcutter is a devoted son and goes to chop wood for his mother. Oh, but today he saw a huge tree!”
The giant woodcutter had conjured raised his ax towards the howling beast before him.
His tool might be classed as an “ax,” but at this level, it was more like a weapon for mass destruction. So cool!
“One strike, one kill! The skilled and kind woodcutter felled the tree in a single blow!”
Quaaaang!
The dog-shaped monster, struck by the woodcutter’s ax, let out a final howl, sounding very much like a dog, before collapsing.
Its body turned into light and vanished on its own.
“Haa, haa, haa…”
[Warning! Owner’s overexertion was detected! Need a break! Need a break!]
“Huh…? I really think I need one…”
Hmpf, so this is what I’ve learned about my abilities over the past three weeks.
I can perform magic using children’s books I’ve read before, the magic involves summoning the main character from a storybook.
Up to this point, it seems similar to a spiritist or summoner who calls forth spirits to fight. However, how the main character used magic depended on me.
“It took me two weeks to figure this out.”
Laiya muttered through clenched teeth.
She couldn’t even feel proud of her achievement, as this was all thanks to that annoyingly handsome teacher who insisted on practical training.
The magic circle he used to summon the monster was actually meant to bring in a real monster, but perhaps considering her age, when the monster was defeated, it would vanish, a more suitable approach for a child.
“Why are you treating this part like it’s for a child?”
And, on top of all that, wouldn’t it be better if they considered my age and physical strength more? Right?
I had been excited about learning magic, expecting to quietly attend a magic class.
“I should have looked into it from the very first day, when he tossed me in front of the orc for measurement…”
Exhausted, she fell backward, gasping for air.
As she lay on the cold ground, exhaustion sapping her of all motivation, she saw pure white hair and the hem of her clothes being stepped on.
“Hmm, have you already passed out, kid?”
“When will you start calling me by my name, Master?”
“A disciple has to act like a proper wizard to earn that title, yes?”
Master Braham squatted down, rested his chin on his hand, and chuckled.
Though he looked young, in moments like this, he seemed older.
“If you lie down in the cold, you’ll catch a cold, not to mention there’s a depletion of magical power.”
“Depletion of muscles, more like… Ugh, I can’t muster the strength to get up.”
Thanks to her Master and Ice, Laiya’s stamina was better than usual in this space, and her falling speed had slowed down.
All my intensive magic practice seemed futile now.
“I can’t believe you treat an adorable little female student like me like this… Hic.”
“Well, do all the pretty girls freeze to death if I treat them like this?”
After three weeks, we’d become close enough to exchange such useless banter.
“Well, when I think of my brothers, I do feel a bit insignificant.”
It wasn’t an inferiority complex, just a fact.
Perhaps it was the author’s doing, but everyone in this family and the villains in the book were incredibly handsome.
Especially Duke DenDrian, who sired those individuals, and their father, Titan BlackWinter.
It was all too embarrassing.
Kyle, well, she couldn’t put it into words.
But she had to admit, her black dog was the best.
Roy is the best!
At that moment, a sharp pain shot through her forehead.
“Ouch, why did you hit me?”
“Tsk tsk, young one, you need to learn to be shameless.”
“Out of the blue?”
“Well, sometimes objectivity brings forth shamelessness. Who made it this way?”
“Who?”
Master simply clicked his tongue and said nothing more.
Instead, the little body floated, as her sweat dripped from her cheeks.
Ice hurried over and patted her cheek, then a refreshing breeze blew away the heat.
Laiya grinned and rubbed her cheek against Ice.
Our adorable Ice, you’re cute as always today!
“That’s it for today. Looks like there’s no magical power left.”
“Ah, Master! I still can’t get past the first part of the bookshelf, nor the first chapter. Why is that?”
“Well, that’s okay. It doesn’t seem like you’re lacking magical power… Hmm… Oh? I’ll assign it as homework for you to figure out.”
Ugh, I should have just stayed silent.
But this was something she had always been curious about.
Though Laiya had somehow figured out how to use magic through children’s books and storytelling, she couldn’t progress beyond the introductory part of the book.
For example, in “The Golden Ax and the Silver Ax,” the woodcutter hadn’t even dropped the ax into the pond yet.
It felt like going through the tutorial or the first stage of a game about a hundred times.
Even a novel gets boring if you read the introduction a hundred times.
The Master seemed to sense her frustration and gave a knowing look.
As always, he ended the conversation with the word.
Homework.
Emphasizing practical skills, just like a grizzled old man.
[The guardian casts a simple cleanliness spell on the owner!]
“Ah, thank you.”
And so, today’s class ended, and Laiya was about to leave for the library when, for some reason, the teacher who usually sent her off coolly cleared his throat and blocked her path.
“Master?”
“Wait a moment. I have something to discuss with you today.”
Her usually mischievous teacher, who often teased her after class, looked unusually serious today.
Laiya blinked.
Even though his handsome face still bore a hint of trouble, he seemed more serious than ever.
“Are you going somewhere? Does this mean there are no classes tomorrow?”
“Where do dead people go? I can’t abandon this legacy.”
“Right, I noticed you looked serious today, so I thought something might be up. What’s going on?”
“Umm…”
Braham stroked his chin and slowly began to speak.
“Kid, have you ever been to Kronos’s room?”
“Grandpa?”
The little daughter of BlackWinter shook her head.
Kronos BlackWinter.
My grandfather had been the family head before my father, Titan, the current family head. It was said he was a great hero.
By the time of Laiya’s reincarnation, he was already in a suspended animation hospital bed. Perhaps he had been sick before I was born?
No, that’s not right. I remember him collapsing shortly after I was born.
In any case, she had only heard rumors about him and had never seen him in person.
“All I’ve seen is that large portrait hanging in the main dining hall. He was handsome, but also quite sharp and intimidating.”
“…”
“I don’t know the exact timeline, but my grandfather has been bedridden since I was young. His room is heavily guarded.”
“…Yes, I heard about that. So, as a direct descendant, you can’t access it even if you wanted to?”
“Um, no, I can’t.”
Laiya shook her head with difficulty.
It wasn’t just because she was a direct female descendant, but even if she was a direct descendant of her grandfather or had not been almost abandoned… She wouldn’t have been able to go either.
Even if that weren’t the case…
“I’ve heard that only Dad can enter Grandpa’s room.”
